Projects
Examples of coproduction projects I have worked on with a variety of groups in recent years.
Love Letham
In collaboration with Northern Star Associates and in consultation with primary school children from Goodlyburn, Letham Primary and Our Lady's Primary I created this image which includes images drawn by the children when asked what changes they wanted to see in their local community. As part of a final showcase a 2 metre long vinyl banner of this image was presented by the pupils to the Love Letham Young People and Adult Commission. It showcases the childrens' priorities for the changes they want to see in Letham.
I worked closely with Northern Star, Wellbeing Economy Alliance aswell as the pupils themselves to esnure fair and accurate representation of their views, recording key aspects of my creative process to allow for transparency and clarity.
Love Letham is a collaboration between the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Scotland and Perth & Kinross Council. is part of a growing movement of people, organisations and businesses across Scotland who are trying to build a Wellbeing Economy.
Thank you so much for all your hard work on this. I love the banner and can't wait to see it for real.' Kelly McIness, Northern Star
Old's Cool Intergenerational Project
I worked closely with the Old's Cool group in Citadel to come up with a way that:
- Older and younger people could work together to share their unique Covid19 stories,
- visually
- over Zoom (mostly)
- in the height of the pandemic
- and for the young people to use their learning as a basis for sharing tips with others on digital intergenerational working
This case study is featured as an example of best practice in the Old's Cool Digital Intergenerational Practice Toolkit which informed the Edinburgh Youth and Childrens Work Strategy 2023-2028.
" We were delighted with Emer's sessions here at the Citadel. Each session was skilfully delivered in a friendly and approachable manner. Emer was also very adaptable and particularly supportive in the planning sessions we had prior to her delivering. For a hands on, engaging activity we would definitely recommend Emer."
Ryan MacKay, Intergeneration Worker, Citadel
Digital Careers Club
The Digital Careers Club is a programme aimed at introducing young people to technology and STEM. I was invited by Tanya Howden, Digital Education Programme Manager, to devise and run reflective sessions for participants who were coming to the end of the 10 week programme. The aim was for the attendees to leave the programme armed with techniques to help them create a set of goals or objectives.
'I just wanted to say a massive thank you for the session on visual thinking last night at the HMFC Innovation Centre. Everyone had a brilliant time and it was such a nice way to round the Digital Careers Club off and I personally thought it was great to see what everyone has learned and enjoyed across the last 10 weeks. I think it will also be something that everyone takes with them in the future to keep planning and thinking about what the next small step is to achieving what they want to do, so thank you!'
Tanya Howden, Digital Education Consultant
Wednesday Drawing Club
The Wednesday Drawing Club was a free weekly drawing class I ran during the Covid pandemic for a group of children from Scotland, Ireland, Spain and Australia.
It was a chance to create, connect and learn together. Each week I gave the children a theme. The children found objects within their houses related to the theme which we then all drew together, along with some quirky drawing exercises we codesigned!
Enabling All to Flourish, St. David's Primary School
For this project I worked closely with the Principal, Speech and Language Therapist and Support for Learning teacher to co-create a series visually faciliated consultations with children from P1-P7, designed to captured the children's own vision and the changes they wished to see in the school.
I led each of the sessions, adapting the content to each age group.
During each session we explored the following themes:
- Space (physical, sensory, adequacy of space, accessibility of space)
- Social (attitudes, expectations and actions peers and adults)
- Empowerment (provision of information, relationships, support and facilitation)
- Structure and Routines
Following the sessions I created a series of posters, one for each year which were printed, framed and hung in the school corridors.
'Emer provided a quality and professional service throughout.
She really worked to understand the underpinning of the how and why for this project to ensure she was delivering our expectations. She was very flexible and welcomed feedback about her work. She asked questions, reflected and proffered her ideas. Emer worked with a range of professionals as well as 200 children spanning from age 4-11! She was able to act on the cues of professionals she was working with and really took the lead in terms of facilitating discussions and generating ideas. Her professional yet approachable manner made the whole experience very informal and put learners at ease to share their views. Commendably, when our youngest learners struggled to have their views captured, she gave additional time and ideas to ensure authentic participation. This project has allowed us to reflect on the ways we work and how we can more authentically capture the ideas of individuals and groups. A really positive experience for all, thank you!'
She really worked to understand the underpinning of the how and why for this project to ensure she was delivering our expectations. She was very flexible and welcomed feedback about her work. She asked questions, reflected and proffered her ideas. Emer worked with a range of professionals as well as 200 children spanning from age 4-11! She was able to act on the cues of professionals she was working with and really took the lead in terms of facilitating discussions and generating ideas. Her professional yet approachable manner made the whole experience very informal and put learners at ease to share their views. Commendably, when our youngest learners struggled to have their views captured, she gave additional time and ideas to ensure authentic participation. This project has allowed us to reflect on the ways we work and how we can more authentically capture the ideas of individuals and groups. A really positive experience for all, thank you!'
Gill McPherson, Principal, St.David's Primary School
Youth Ambassadors EU Erasmus Film Project, Scotdec
I had the pleasure of working with a group of Youth Ambassadors as part of Year of the Young Person 2018.
We ran Visual Brainstorming sessions in which the young people were invited to give their creative input to a series of visual templates to be used as part of an EU Erasmus Plus film project.
I then designed the templates based on the project outcomes and weaving in the childrens' drawings into each template. This helped them to reflect, connect with and deepen their understanding of the project.
Future visions, Glasgow Disability Alliance
From Oct '15 to March '16 I codesigned and delivered the Future Visions training and Champions programme For Glasgow Disability Alliance.
This programme was all about giving disabled people an opportunity to reflect on their experience of the Self Directed Support Road Testers project, and to use this experience as a platform to drive change in their own lives and to influence and inspire others through sharing their stories.
It consisted of a series of training and faciliation sessions culminating in a Champions event where participants took to the stage to share their voices.
Visual facilitation and illustration were used throughout:
- in the design of training materials to increase understanding and aid enagagement
- through the creation of illustrated posters that supported particpants when speaking about their experiences ('If I went blank I'd just look up at the poster and it'd help me remember. The picture of the rainbow was my favourite!')
- Illustrations were used in the final report
'Part of our aims with the SDS Road Testers project was to provide accessible information about Self Directed Support to disabled people and also to share learning far and wise. Emer worked with us on our Champions project and by understanding the issues involved she produced some bespoke graphics for GDA which underline key messages about choice and control. This was also evidenced in the Mural for the 'My Choices: I Did it My Way' event and the powerful images created for GDA were an excellent aide memoire to key messages and learning from the project.
Thank you Emer for encouraging and supporting the Champions to develop their roles, their stories and their voices and for the wonderful project art.'
Tressa Burke, CEO | Glasgow Disability Alliance
Peer Coaching Project, Work 4 ME
Working alongside the Director of Work4Me (a consortium co-operative championing the cause for flexible work opportunities for people with long-term conditions), Programme Evaluator and two other coaches to design, develop and deliver a Peer Coaching Project.
As a team of three coaches we ran workshops and coached individuals on a 1:1 basis in the areas of self management moving towards self employment and/or flexible working.
Coachees related to one or more of the following scenarios:
- Feeling caught in the benefits/back-to-work trap and don't know where to turn.
- Battling with diminished energy levels and capacity but need to find some meaningful activity that will help you earn, learn and move on at a pace that is appropriate for you.
- Hoping to set up as self employed , find flexible contract work or take up a voluntary post that will allow you the flexibility to self-managing your condition.
- Already started a small business or venture but have run out of steam to develop and manage it and your condition properly?
Image on left by Kate Chambers, KC Associates
© Emer O'Leary Studios Ltd 2023